Fountain toothbrush



April 8, 1952 M. AcKERMAN FOUNTAIN TOOTHBRUSH Filed Nov. 22. 1949 A Q 3N @xk 9 u OF N. mg mg Maee/s ACKEQMAM irz wmazq 5mm flax/dam ATTORNEYSPatented Apr. 8, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

My invention relates to a fountain toothbrush.

A primary object of my invention is to provide a fountain-typetoothbrush for use with tooth powder, and having means to facilitatedispensing the tooth powder into the bristles of the brush.

A further object is to provide a toothbrush of the above-mentionedcharacter having a bristleholding section which is bodily removable fromthe handle or reservoir section of the brush, so that it may be replacedby a new bristle-holding section.

A further object is to provide a fountain toothbrush wherein thebristles are arranged in such a manner that they tend to hold or retaina substantial quantity of tooth powder when the powder is dispensedamong the bristles.

A further object is to provide a fountain-type toothbrush including ashiftable, bristle-holding section, and novel and simplified means forreleasably holding such bristle-holding section in selected, adjustedpositions.

Still further objects of the invention are to provide a toothbrush ofthe above-mentioned character which is highly simplified, compact,sturdy yet relatively inexpensive to make, the use of the brushresulting in a substantial saving of tooth powder normally wasted whenapplied to toothbrushes in the usual manual and unsanitary manner.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent duringthe course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, and inwhich like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout thesame:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a fountain toothbrush embodying my invention;1

I Figure2 is a central, vertical, longitudinal sec-.-

tion through the brush, showing the brush section in operative position;I Figure 3 is a similar section showing the brush 'section in toothpowder dispensing position;

. prises a forward, transversely fiat, or low, elon- 2 gated forwardportion l I for insertion within the mouth. The forward portion I Iincludes a closed, rounded forward end l2, preferably roundedlongitudinal sides l3, flat bottom [4, and flat top I5 spaced from thebottom I4, as shown. Near the longitudinal center of the handle sectionIn, the top wall of the same, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, is upwardlyoiTset with respect to the top wall 1 15, as shown at It, for forming arear handle portion I! of increased size in transverse crosssection. Thetop wall I 6 may be substantially semi-cylindrically curved intransverse crosssection, as shown in Figure 5. The handle section In isof substantially uniform width, Figure 1, throughout its entire length,although shallow, curved, opposed side recesses I8 may be formed in thesides l3 near and forwardly of the longitudinal center of the section [0to facilitate manipulating the forward end of the brush within themouth. The flat bottom [4 is continuous and extends for the entirelength of the handle section I0, as shown. The rear portion ll of thehandle section includes a somewhat reduced, cylindrical, tubular, shortextension l9 which is internally screw-threaded, as shown, for receivinga screw-threaded closure plug 20 having a wide transverse generally flatperipheral flange 2| which projects below the fiat bottom [4, Figures 2and 3, and abutting the end of the extension [9. If desired, the plug 20may include a transversely elongated, apertured lug 22 for suspendingthe toothbrush from a hook, nail or the like.

As clearly shown in Figures 2 and 5, the flat bottom I4 carriesintegral, longitudinally extending, depending side flanges 23 extendingfrom a point spaced from the forward end of the bottom M to the rear endof the bottom l4, thereby defining a slide groove which opens throughthe rear end of the handle section H]. The inner, longitudinal, opposedfaces of the flanges 23 are undercut adjacent to the tops of the flangesfor forming parallel, longitudinal, shallow grooves 24 and bottom,parallel, longitudinal, inwardly projecting ribs or tongues 25. Thedepending side flanges 23 form with the bottom flat face of the bottom Ma shallow, elongated, longitudinal slide groove or guideway 26 extendingthrough the rear end of the handle section Ill, with its forward endclosed by a stop shoulder 21 located adjacent to the forward end of thebottom wall [4, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The flat bottom [4 of thehandle section I0 is provided near its longitudinal center with a groupof longitudinally spaced, transversely elongated, rectangulartooth-powder dispensing ports 28. The ports 28 extend completely throughthe bottom I4 at points midway between the flanges 23, Figure 5. Nearand slightly rearward of the rearmost port 28, and near and rearwardlyof the longitudinal center of the bottom I4, the bottom I4 is providedin its undersurface and at its transverse center with a shallow detentrecess 29. A second detent recess 30, identical with the detent recess29, is formed in the undersurface of the bottom I4 near and forwardly ofthe rear end of the bottom i4. The detent recess 30 is likewise arrangedat the transverse center of the bottom I4 and is spaced longitudinallyrearwardly of the recess 29 for a substantial distance, as shown. Thehandle section I is unitary, and preferably formed of some suitableplastic material, such as usually emloyed in the forming of conventionaltoothbrush handles. The handle section II] can thus be made in variouscolors, as are the handles of most toothbrushes.

A longitudinally adjustable brush section 3| is provided and comprises aflat, elongated, rectangular plate 32 slidably mounted between thedepending side flanges 23 and having its top surface slidably contactingthe undersurface of the bottom I4. The plate 32 is provided in itsopposite sides with longitudinal grooves 33 forming longitudinal,laterally outwardly extending tongues34 for engagement within thelongitudinal grooves 24 above the tongues 25. The grooves 33 and tongues34 extend for the entire length of the plate 32. As shown in Figure 2,the plate 32 is substantially one-half as long as the handle sectionII].

Near its forward end, and at'its transverse center, the plate 32 isprovided with a group of longitudinally spaced, transversely elongated,rectangular, tooth-powder-receiving ports 35 adapted to register withthe ports 28 of the handle section It when the brush section is shiftlyrearwardly into its intermediate, powder dispensing position, shown inFigure 3, from its normal for-ward operating position, shown in Figure2, wherein the ports 23 and 36 are out of registry.

The plate 32 is provided upon its underside adjacent to the ports 35with a central, longitudinally extending row of bristles 33 and sidelongitudinal rows of bristles 31 arranged upon opposite sides of thecentral row 36, all of said rows of bristles being secured to the plate32 in a conventional manner. The bristles of the rows 35 and 31 arearranged in the usual longitudinally spaced groups of tufts 38. Thetufts 38 of the central row 36 are arranged substantially at rightangles or perpendicular to the plate 32, and are preferably arranged inlongitudinal pairs between the ports 35. The tufts 38 of the side rows31 are arranged at a slight angle with respect to the perpendicular, andconverge toward the free ends of the tufts 38 of the central row. asclearly shown in Figures 1 and 4, to form longitudinal, tapered passages39 between the rows 36 and 3'! at opposite sides of the ports 35, asshown in Figure 5, the ports 35 lead into the passages 39, and thepassages are substantially closed adjacent to the outer ends of thetufts 38, so that the passages will hold the tooth powder dispensedthrough the ports 28 and 35. Secured to and extending rearwardly beyondthe rear end of the plate 32 at the transverse center thereof is aresilient spring detent 40 for selective engagement within the detentrecesses 29 and 30. which includes a small knob 3I to facilitatedisengaging the detent 40 from the recesses 29 and 30. The arrangementis such that when the plate 32 is shifted to its forward operativeposition, Figure 2, and the forward end of the plate engages the stopshoulder 21, the dispensing ports 28 are closed by the rear imperforateportion of the plate 32. At the same time, the ports 35 are positionednear the forward end of the handle section II] and are out Of registrywith the ports 28, and the detent 49 is engaged in the forward detentrecess 29.

When it is desired to apply tooth powder to the bristles for brushing thteeth, the brush section is shifted rearwardly to its intermediate,dispensing position, shown in Figure 3, wherein the spring .detent 40engages the rear detent recess 30, and ports 35 register with the ports28, and the tooth powder within the handle section I0 will sift bygravity into the tapered passages 39 between the rows 36 and 31 ofbristles. If necessary, with the parts arranged as in Figure 3, thetoothbrush may be tapped gently or otherwise agitated to insure thatsufiicient toothpowder will enter the passages 39. Obviously, the plug20 may be removed for refilling the handle section I0 with tooth powder.Likewise, with the plug 20 removed so that its flange 2| no longercovers the rear end of the guideway 26, the brush section 3| may be,bodily removed from the handle section I5 and a new bristle-carryingsection may be applied to the handle section. In this manner, the handlesection I0 may be used continuously while the brush sections may bereplaced. The plate 32 may be formed of the same material as the handlesection ID. When in use for brushing the teeth, the rear, enlargedportion I I of the handle section is grasped as a handle, while theforward, relatively narrow and fiat portion II is inserted into themouth, as is obvious.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown anddescribed is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and thatvarious changes in shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resortedto without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope ofthe subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a fountain tooth brush, an elongated hollow handle section adaptedto contain dentifrice, said handle section having a wall formed with alongitudinal slide groove and with first ports opening into the groove,said first ports being located intermediate the ends of andsubstantially spaced from the ends of said groove, a brush sectioncomprising an elongated plate shorter than said slide groove andconfined therein for longitudinal sliding movement along the brushsection, said plate being formed with second ports adapted to beregistered with the ports of the handle section, said brush sectionbeing otherwise imperforate and being slidable in said groove in onedirection away from its intermediate position to its brushing positionin which the ports of the brush section are closed by the said wall ofthe handle section and the ports of the handle section are closed by animperforate portion of the brush section, an end of said groove openinthrough one end of said handle section, and said brush section beingslidable in said groove away from its intermediate position in adirection to pass said brush section plate through the open end of theslide groove and remove the brush section from said handle section, saidone end of the handle section having a tubular filling extension, and aremovable plug closing said filling extension, said plug having aperipheral flange closing the open end of the slide groove andpreventing unwanted removal of the brush section from the handlesection.

2. In a fountain tooth brush, an elongated hollow handle section adaptedto contain dentifrice, said handle section having a wall formed with alongitudinal slide groove and with first ports opening into the groove,said first ports being located intermediate the ends of andsubstantially spaced from the ends of said groove, a brush sectioncomprising an elongated plate shorter than said slide groove andconfined therein for longitudinal sliding movement along the brushsection, said plate being formed with second ports adapted to beregistered with the ports of the handle section, said brush sectionbeing otherwise imperforate and being slidable in said groove in onedirection away from its intermediate position to its brushing positionin which the ports of the brush section are closed by the said wall ofthe handle section and the ports of the handle section are closed by animperforate portion of the brush section, an end of said groove openingthrough one end of said handle section and said brush section beingslidable in said groove away from its intermediate position inthedirection to pass said brush section plate through the open end of theslide tion in its brushing and intermediate positions.

MORRIS ACKERMAN.

REFERENCES CITED l The following references are of record in the,

file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 730,040 McKinley et al June 2,1903 1,432,715 Mendoza Oct. 17, 1922 1,580,390 Trumbull Apr. 13, 19261,753,290 Graves Apr. 8, 1930 2,371,936 Walker Mar. 20, 1945 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date France July 9, 1945

